Henry stood at the chamber's center, his chest heaving, his knuckles bruised but unyielding. The system's rewards pulsed through him: Level Up! All Stats Increased by 20. Strength: 310, Agility: 245, Endurance: 113, Perception: 100. HP Fully Restored. Skill Gained: Domain of the Stonebreaker. Quest Received: Survive or Eliminate the Threat. His body thrummed with power, his wounds gone, his mind sharp as a blade.
Boros lay in the rubble of a shattered pillar, blood dripping from his lips, his battleaxe cracked and discarded. His F9-ranked aura, once suffocating, was a flicker, his pride crushed under Henry's fists. The other hunters—ten reduced to seven, battered and broken—sprawled across the floor, clutching ribs, arms, or simply staring in shock. "You…" Boros spat, his voice hoarse, "You think this is over?" Henry rolled his shoulders, smirking. "Nah. But I do think you guys should rethink your career choices." Boros's fists clenched, but he turned away, motioning his crew to limp off, their fearful glances trailing Henry.
Henry exhaled, running a hand through his sweat-drenched hair. The silence was heavy, not peaceful but charged, a prelude to the dungeon's next challenge. His laugh had shattered the hunters' confidence, his barehanded dominance a testament to the system's power. Domain of the Stonebreaker—the new skill's name echoed in his mind, its purpose unclear but potent. Dash, Recovery, Precision Strike, Iron Will, Stone Skin had carried him through, but this felt different, a force waiting to be unleashed.
He flexed his fingers, the ache from his punches a satisfying reminder of his Strength (310). He hadn't killed the hunters—mercy, or pragmatism, he wasn't sure—but he'd broken them, their greed for his beast crystals their downfall. EXP: 6715/8000 from the troll and hunters, plus 130 Skill Points, gave him options, but the system's quest—Survive or Eliminate the Threat—was vague, its implications ominous. Boros was beaten, but the dungeon's depths held worse.
Henry's Perception (100) caught a faint hum, a vibration in the stone. The chamber's rear passage, its moss glow dim, beckoned. He grabbed his bag of crystals, its weight a fortune he'd defended, and glanced at the troll's corpse. The E1 Core Crystal he'd absorbed had pushed his EXP, but the chamber offered no more loot. Boros's retreating footsteps faded, but Henry knew the F9 hunter's pride wouldn't let this end. He smirked, rolling his neck. "Let 'em come."
He approached the passage, the air growing colder, the hum louder. Stone Skin flickered, hardening his skin briefly, a precaution against unseen traps. Iron Will kept his focus sharp, dulling the fatigue creeping in. The tunnel twisted, its walls slick with moisture, stalactites dripping overhead. His boots crunched against loose gravel, each step echoing in the oppressive silence. Domain of the Stonebreaker stirred, a latent power he couldn't yet grasp, like a muscle waiting to flex.
The passage opened into a cavern, its ceiling vast, studded with glowing crystals that cast a blue-white light. A chasm split the floor, a rickety stone bridge spanning it, leading to a massive iron gate etched with red runes, pulsing like a heartbeat. The air was electric, heavy with the dungeon's malice. Henry's Perception caught faint growls—beasts, or another boss, beyond the gate. HP: 300/300. Recovery had restored him, but his stamina wasn't infinite, and Dash drained it fast.
He tested Domain of the Stonebreaker, murmuring its name. The ground trembled, a faint ripple of energy radiating from his feet, cracking the stone beneath him. His fists glowed briefly, a gray aura pulsing, then faded. The skill was raw, unrefined, but its potential was seismic—a force to reshape battles. Henry grinned, cracking his knuckles. "Oh, this is gonna be fun."
A distant rumble echoed—footsteps, or the dungeon stirring. Boros? Unlikely, so soon, but Henry's caution sharpened. The hunters' defeat had bought him time, but the system's quest hinted at greater threats. He crossed the bridge, its stone groaning under his weight, the chasm below a void of darkness. The gate loomed, its runes flaring as he approached. Iron Will steadied his nerves, Stone Skin ready to flare.
The gate parted, revealing a spiral staircase descending into icy depths, the air humming with power. Henry stepped through, the gate sealing behind him, muffling the cavern's echoes. The staircase was a tunnel of shadow, its walls etched with faint runes, their glow barely illuminating his path. Perception caught vibrations—claws on stone, a low hiss. Dash was ready, his Agility (245) a blur if needed.
Halfway down, the staircase opened into a chamber, its floor littered with bones—human, beast, unidentifiable. A pack of serpent-like creatures slithered from the shadows, their scales glinting, eyes glowing amber. Threat Level: Moderate. Henry smirked, activating Dash and weaving through their strikes, his fists glowing with Domain of the Stonebreaker. Each punch cracked scales, EXP +40, EXP +40, EXP +40, the serpents collapsing in heaps. EXP: 6835/8000.
The chamber's far wall held another gate, smaller, its runes green, not red. Henry collected the serpents' crystals, EXP +25 each, pushing his total to 6910/8000. The gate hummed, its energy less intense but still potent. He activated Stone Skin, his skin hardening, and pushed through, entering a tunnel lined with glowing vines, their light pulsing like a heartbeat. The air was humid, the stench of decay sharp.
Perception caught a faint clatter—human footsteps, distant but closing. Boros's crew, regrouped? Or new hunters, drawn by the dungeon's pull? Henry's smirk faded, his fists clenching. The system's quest—Survive or Eliminate—loomed, its ambiguity a weight. Domain of the Stonebreaker stirred, a promise of power, but he needed control, precision.
The tunnel widened into a cavern, its floor a mosaic of cracked tiles, its ceiling a dome of glowing crystals. A massive statue stood at the center—a warrior, stone, holding a shattered sword, its eyes glowing red. Threat Level: Unknown. Henry's Perception tingled, the statue's aura oppressive. Stone Skin flared, Iron Will steadying him. Domain of the Stonebreaker pulsed, as if resonating with the statue.
Before he could move, the statue's eyes flared, its body cracking as it stirred. Boss Identified: Stone Sentinel, E2 Awakening. HP: 6,000. Threat Level: Very High. Henry's grin returned, fierce. "Round two, huh?" He cracked his knuckles, Dash ready, Domain of the Stonebreaker humming. The sentinel swung its sword, the air screaming, and Henry Dashed, the battle igniting.
The cavern shook, dust falling, as Henry's fists met stone, EXP +50 with each hit. Recovery kept him alive, Stone Skin absorbing blows, Iron Will unyielding. The footsteps grew louder—hunters, or worse, approaching.